Maumee Cross Country Teams Place 31st at Tiffin Carnival

Maumee freshman Lexi Szyndler sprints through the course at Seneca East’s Tiger Classic on August 26. Szyndler posted a career-best time of 24:40 while helping the Panthers to a 31st-place finish at the Tiffin Carnival on September 9. MIRROR PHOTO BY JOE NEGRICH

BY ANDY ROWER | MIRROR SPORTS — Maumee’s cross country teams both placed 31st at the Tiffin Carnival last Saturday. Run at Hedges Boyer Park, the Carnival is one of the largest high school cross country invitationals in the nation and hosted more than 6,000 runners. Boys Senior Matt Lucas led the Panthers boys team by placing 70th in the Division I-A race with a time of 17:00. Sophomore Sam Sherf and senior Michael Board next turned in times of 17:49 and 17:54. Board’s time proved to be a career-best. Freshman Reese Shull followed with another career-best mark of 18:23 and senior Carter Bomeli and junior Robert East finished at 18:46 and 18:58. Sophomore Seth Pasquin-elli rounded out the Panthers’ varsity race with a time of 19:31. Junior Chris Witzler led Maumee in the day’s open race with a 51st-place time of 18:51 – his best time of the season. Sophomore Shane Koepfer and freshman Dylan Hamilton also ran season bests at 19:58 and 21:57 and junior Cyan Graham ran through an injury to post a 23:18. Girls Freshman Abi Smalley’s career best time of 22:21 led the Panthers in 50th place. Fellow freshman Lexi Szyndler also turned in a career-best time of 24:40 and junior Jordan Saleh’s 25:05 was her best of the season. Junior Lilly Daughton followed with a 27:02 and classmate Angelina Alvarado wrapped up Maumee’s team scoring with a 31:02 – her season best.